Album: The Shackeltons
4/5 stars
Loved by SPIN and Rolling Stone, The Shackeltons, from Chambersburg, PA, are both daring and energetic. Their MySpace likens them to warriors, but says "this battle is not to destroy, but to rebuild. Rebuild that which has been destroyed in everyone: hope, love, compassion, and optimism." Their eponymous debut, The Shackeltons, is due to be released by Loveless Records on January 29th, 2008.
The Shackeltons is the bold soundtrack to the aftermath; it's what's playing a little too loud when you take that inevitable drive to nowhere just to get away and move on, both spiritually and physically. The album is a frenzied ball of power-chord energy, but their vigor is presented in a clear, surprisingly haunting 11 songs.
"Soft Heart" and "Yellow Cadillac" will be fan favorites, and "Emergency" is also thrilling, a calmer look at love that pulls at the heart with a quieter, more intimate voice. In short, this band has the potential to bring originality to the small dark club and beyond, but must be careful that the drive for originality does not make them like everyone else. --Annie Dineen